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Post by Professor Victoria Yew on Jun 19, 2020 15:54:07 GMT
Professor Yew "Briar Farrigan?" The professor looked up into the waiting room. Three people this time, so she had no idea which was Briar. Things were picking up here at the Lab; these meetings were starting to become a bit more routine, though they were certainly never boring. "Here to choose a Pokemon? If you'll just follow me."Assuming Briar identified herself, the professor would lead her back to the selection room: a large, rather plain white room with a device on the wall that held six Pokeballs, beside a large screen. Besides that, the selection room held only two chairs, placed near the device. how can we claim to understand something we've never experienced?
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Post by Briar Farrigan on Jun 23, 2020 20:39:07 GMT
Briar stared at the open notebook in her lap, scanning the blank pages before her and struggling to lift her pen and mark down what she was thinking. She wasn't entirely sure how to express in words the sort of emotions that were trampling through her mind. Was she anxious? Excited? Maybe both? She felt as though she had been on edge since the moment she finally stepped into Mistveil, unable to settle down despite her every attempt to regain composure. She had never really been out of Sunhaven before, what with most of her extended family also calling the tiny town their home. She'd certainly never seen anywhere quite like Mistveil, and the vast newness of the place both excited and scared her. There was so much to do, so many possibilities to consider. She almost felt overwhelmed; or, rather, she felt as though there were a few too many new prospects to consider all at once. At least this part--waiting in the lab for her turn to choose a partner Pokèmon--was simple enough! Simple enough in theory, anyhow, if her lack of easily articulated feelings was any indication...
She was still lost in trying to organize her chaotic thoughts when the Professor appeared and called her name. She almost didn't register it, looking up belatedly and feeling somewhat confused until she spotted the Professor (or, who she thought was probably the Professor) standing in the doorway. "Oh, um, that's me! Briar Farrigan!" she said quickly, shutting her notebook with a loud clap and tucking it into her bag. "And, yes, I'm here to choose a starter Pokèmon!"
She hopped out of her seat and hurried over, trying and failing calm herself down as she did so. This was it, the start of everything!
"You're Professor Yew, right? It's an honor to meet you, and I'm so sorry if I kept you waiting!"
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Post by Professor Victoria Yew on Jun 23, 2020 22:43:21 GMT
Professor Yew "Yes, I am." The professor smiled at Briar's enthusiasm. "Don't worry; I've only been here a couple seconds. Let's head back into the selection room."As she led Briar to the selection room, the professor decided to try to set Briar at ease with some small talk: "You're here for a starter Pokemon -- what made you decide to become a trainer, if you don't mind me asking? You don't have to answer if you'd rather not; this isn't a screening or anything."Briar had already been screened, rather rigorously, by the Lab's background-check team. They didn't want to give Pokemon to people who wouldn't treat them well, after all. how can we claim to understand something we've never experienced?
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Post by Briar Farrigan on Jun 24, 2020 4:27:02 GMT
Briar stopped herself from audibly sighing in relief upon hearing that the Professor hadn't been waiting on her all that long. There had been times where she'd zoned out for minutes before thinking to respond--fortunately, that hadn't happened here! Wouldn't that have been a horrible way to start such a momentous encounter...
She followed the Professor with an eager pep in her step, taking in every detail of the Lab. The place was fascinating, equipped with every possible modern convenience while still maintaining a sort of homey charm. She wondered what it would be like to work at a place like this, developing new technologies and learning new things about Pokèmon. It seemed like such a weighty, important task, and yet Professor Yew seemed calm and secure within her position. Briar wasn't sure she could manage to accomplish that sort of certainty, but a lower-level job at the Lab was something she could certainly see herself doing. Did they take applicants? Probably not without a degree. But, if she wanted to attend Mistveil University someday, perhaps it was a possibility! She'd have to ask.
She was just about to pose the query when Professor Yew actually voiced a question of her own. Fortunately, Briar caught it immediately and was able to respond without too much delay, "I don't mind at all! Honestly, I don't think there's one thing in particular that got me started on this path of becoming a trainer. Pokèmon have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember--not in a physical way, of course! My grandfather was actually alive before they disappeared, and growing up I got to hear so many stories about what it was like to live and work with them. He inspired me to study them, which led to me wanting to attend the University for a degree in Pokèmon studies...I was actually saving up to move here when they came back! The opportunity to train a real, living Pokèmon is far too good to pass up, and I think it'll be a good place to start if I really want to make studying them a part of my future."
She stopped herself before she got any further, concerned that she'd said way too much. But that was the simplest answer she could make in the moment, right? And the Professor had asked. Hopefully it was alright...
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Post by Professor Victoria Yew on Jun 25, 2020 1:37:43 GMT
Professor Yew The professor nodded along as Briar spoke. A lifelong interest in Pokemon sparked by a relative's stories -- that was a pretty common element of new trainers' histories. Not that it was any less valuable for being common, of course, but it was when Briar spoke about attending university that the professor really perked up, considering her own course of study. "I can tell you from my own experience that Mistveil's Pokemon studies program is quite good -- rigorous, but you'd learn a lot. It's too soon to really tell, but I think they'll definitely be looking for people with real-world experience with Pokemon now that they're back. Hm, I wonder if the Lab could offer scholarships for Pokemon trainers looking to continue their education ..."She'd have to make a note to ask her superiors about the possibility. The Lab did have a good bit of money set aside to help Pokemon trainers, after all -- it didn't all need to go to Pokeballs and Potions. "Well, here we are!" The professor led Briar into the selection room, sitting down in one of the chairs and gesturing Briar to the other. The two chairs sat near the Pokeball-holder on the wall, a device whose six cups each held a Pokeball. Beside the device, a currently-dormant screen could display information on the Pokemon in the balls. how can we claim to understand something we've never experienced?
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Post by Briar Farrigan on Jun 26, 2020 22:24:42 GMT
Briar felt herself relax as the Professor responded to her ramblings with interest rather than exasperation. She hadn't really connected the fact that Professor Yew must have attended Mistveil University at some point in her journey to becoming Deprin's resident Pokèmon expert, and hearing of her own experiences with the school made Briar want to attend even more. The possibility that the Lab might be willing to sponsor the further education of new trainers made the prospect even more alluring; she felt more settled with the decision to drop everything and become a trainer than she had since she departed Sunhaven. Her mind was full of new thoughts and ideas--so full, in fact, that she almost didn't notice the fact that they had arrived at their destination.
The room was small and cozy, occupied solely by a large machine and a pair of chairs. A set of six Pokèballs rested gently in little cups beneath the machine's blank screen, presumably waiting to be scanned. As Professor Yew took a seat, Briar realized belatedly that one of the six Pokèmon before her would be the one she started her journey as a trainer with. Her heartbeat picked up its pace in anticipation as she sat down in the other chair--this was the beginning of something extraordinary!
"So this is it, the time to pick my starter? Goodness, I'm so excited! I've never done anything like this before. "
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Post by Professor Victoria Yew on Jun 27, 2020 17:25:07 GMT
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Post by Briar Farrigan on Jul 1, 2020 1:38:14 GMT
Briar couldn't help but hold her breath as the Professor began to reveal the Pokèmon that waited in the machine. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, nervous and excited all at once. This was the real beginning of her adult life, the decision that could--and, most likely would--change everything in the foreseeable future. Her first Pokèmon decided so much about her journey as a trainer, from what Pokèmon she'd want to befriend to help cover type weaknesses to what Pokèmon she could comfortably approach in the wild. This was probably the biggest decision she'd make for a long time--and it was happening now!
The first Pokèmon's image appeared on the screen. Professor Yew confirmed that it was a Relicanth, which Briar knew but couldn't immediately name. She thought it over quickly, considering what she knew; aquatic Pokèmon, after all, were the ones she was most familiar with. It wasn't known to evolve, which meant that it would be an incredibly strong place to start. And with her love for the water, having a companion who enjoyed swimming just as much would be a major boon...though how would they be able to interact on land? She'd hate to have to keep her starter in a ball at all times...
The next Pokèmon was revealed within moments: a Yungoos. Unlike Relicanth, a Yungoos could evolve, if Briar recalled correctly. It was a speedy, determined, and powerful creature, a distance hunter that only ever stopped out of exhaustion. She could imagine herself helping a Yungoos reign in its power and use it for Pokèmon battles instead, but she was a bit concerned that it might attack another trainer's Pokèmon with intent to seriously harm it. Could that be trained out of a Yungoos?
The third Pokèmon, a Patrat, appeared almost before she'd had time to process the Yungoos. Admittedly, Briar didn't know much about Patrats, except for the fact that they evolved once and tended to live in large groups. A team player? That would be a good trait to have in a starter Pokèmon. And she'd have an excuse to do some research, which she always appreciated.
She was focused back on the screen as the Professor revealed the fourth Pokèmon, a Spinda. She knew a bit more about Spindas than she did about Patrats, but not by much. They didn't evolve and were known especially for their unique patterns of spots. They could be clever attackers, using their dizzying motions and markings to throw opponents off-track. Being able to work with such a unique Pokèmon would surely be a wonderful--if a bit challenging--experience.
The fifth Pokèmon ended up being a Sobble, one of the more traditional starter Pokèmon. Briar couldn't help but be drawn a bit towards it, what with it being a water type and a generally reliable starting Pokèmon. It would be a solid foundation for a great team, but would it be too...cliché to choose such an obvious partner? Perhaps it was better to be open-minded and chose something unconventional, but...
She shoved her conflicted thoughts aside as the Professor revealed the final Pokèmon: a Sinistea. For once, Briar had no real idea what she was looking at. Probably a ghost type, if the name and general appearance were any indication. Ghost Pokèmon hadn't been a big part of her Grandfather's research, so it wasn't too surprising that she didn't recognize it. It would be quite exciting to have a chance to learn directly about something she'd never seen; perhaps that was the best choice...?
She honestly didn't know what to do. She could picture setting out with any one of the six--how could she pick just one? She needed more information to make her decision, which the Professor seemed more than happy to provide.
"Wow, these are all such great choices!" she began, her eyes still moving between the images on the screen, "I honestly have no idea of who to pick. If you don't mind, could you tell me a bit about their temperaments? As a beginner, I think that's something I really need to keep in mind--don't want to choose a Pokèmon you can't handle, right?"
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Post by Professor Victoria Yew on Jul 3, 2020 1:22:44 GMT
Professor Yew The professor nodded -- it wasn't the first time a new trainer had asked her for advice, and she doubted it would be the last. She picked up her tablet and began to tap her way through her Pokedex. "Let's see ... Relicanth is a deep-sea Pokemon that hasn't changed in millions of years. It'll start out pretty strong but grow quite slowly, and it doesn't evolve. I don't have much data on their behavior, besides that they don't have much in the way of teeth.
"Yungoos is rather the opposite -- lots of teeth and a very strong jaw. It has a big appetite and a lot of energy, so it could be quite a challenge to raise. It does evolve, and its evolution is known for its patience.
"Patrat's going to be a bit on the weaker side, even after it evolves. They tend to live in groups, and they can be rather nervous -- always on the watch for danger.
"Spinda ... an odd Pokemon, middling in strength. It tends to confuse its opponents, and sometimes even itself.
"Sobble is a good, solid, traditional pick. Probably your best bet if you want a battling powerhouse. Like Patrat, they tend to have rather nervous dispositions; you'll want to make sure your Sobble feels safe, because the chemicals in their tears can be temporarily blinding. But still, they're considered fairly easy to raise and a good choice for beginning trainers.
"Sinistea is a bit of an odd one as well. A Ghost-type, so it's going to have trouble battling Normal Pokemon -- but Normal Pokemon will also have trouble battling it. I don't have that much else recorded for it, except that the tea it is made of tastes terrible ..."how can we claim to understand something we've never experienced?
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